Thompson believes Packers are healing, not too young

Feb. 22, 2013

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The injury bug bit the Green Bay Packers heavily last season, but Ted Thompson is expecting those wounds to heal before the 2013 campaign.

When asked at Friday’s NFL combine about the health of the team’s past three first-round picks — linebacker Nick Perry, and tackles Derek Sherrod and Bryan Bulaga — the Packers general manager wouldn't go into specifics but remained hopeful all three would be back for next season.

Sherrod never made it off the physically unable to perform list due to the broken leg he sustained late in the 2011 season while Perry (wrist) and Bulaga (leg) finished the 2012 campaign on injured reserve.

“We’re expecting them back,” Thompson said of Bulaga and Sherrod moments after expressing his optimism in Perry’s outlook. “We don’t have any updates, but we expect them to come back and play.”

The Packers continue to get younger. The team carries only two players on the roster who are older than 30 after the release of Charles Woodson, and retirement of Donald Driver and Jeff Saturday.

Thompson acknowledged the changes that will be needed in terms of leadership, but wouldn’t go as far to say the Packers are too young.

“I think we’ve got a lot of leadership,” Thompson said. “We have a good core and it’s made up of veteran players. But the game continues to evolve. Your team continues to evolve. You have to be prepared for it and I think we have been. But no, I don’t think we’re going to be too young.”

Woodson, Driver and Saturday each appeared to regress last season, with Woodson missing nine games with a broken collarbone, Driver losing playing time and Saturday forfeiting his starting spot at center to Evan Dietrich-Smith.

Driver saw limited use despite carrying a $2.3 million salary last season, but Thompson said he didn’t regret bringing back the team’s all-time leading receiver for a 14th NFL season even though he had only eight catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

“No, no. Donald was prepared to play last year,” Thompson said. “He didn’t get an opportunity to play a whole lot but he’s a good player.”